Optical assembly with holographic optics for folded optical path

ABSTRACT

An optical device for a head-mounted display device includes a first partial reflector and a second partial reflector positioned relative to the first partial reflector so that the second partial reflector receives first light transmitted through the first partial reflector and reflects at least a portion of the first light toward the first partial reflector as second light. At least a portion of the second light is reflected by the first partial reflector as third light, and at least a portion of the third light is transmitted through the second partial reflector. At least one of the first partial reflector or the second partial reflector includes a reflective holographic element.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/964,564, filed on Jan. 22,2020, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This relates generally to head-mounted display devices, and morespecifically to optical components used in head-mounted display devices.

BACKGROUND

Head-mounted display devices (also called herein head-mounted displays)are gaining popularity as a means for providing visual information tousers.

However, the size and weight of conventional head-mounted displaydevices have limited application of head-mounted display devices.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, there is a need for head-mounted display devices that arethin and lightweight. Compact head-mounted display devices would alsoimprove user satisfaction with such devices.

The deficiencies and other problems discussed in the background arereduced or eliminated by the disclosed devices, systems, and methods.

In accordance with some embodiments, a head-mounted display deviceincludes diffractive and/or holographic optics, which enable foldedoptical paths that result in more compact and lighter display devices.

In accordance with some embodiments, an optical device for ahead-mounted display device includes a first partial reflector; and asecond partial reflector positioned relative to the first partialreflector so that the second partial reflector receives first lighttransmitted through the first partial reflector and partially reflects aportion of the first light toward the first partial reflector as secondlight. A portion of the second light is reflected by the first partialreflector as third light, and a portion of the third light istransmitted through the second partial reflector. At least one of thefirst partial reflector or the second partial reflector comprises areflective holographic element. In accordance with some embodiments, theoptical device is included in an optical system with a display device(e.g., a display panel).

Thus, the disclosed embodiments provide devices and methods that providean enhanced form factor and optical performance in a compacthead-mounted display device configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the various described embodiments,reference should be made to the Description of Embodiments below, inconjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numeralsrefer to corresponding parts throughout the figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system including a display device inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a display device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating a head-mounted displaydevice in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating polarization states of lightpassing through a head-mounted display device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 4C is a schematic diagram illustrating polarization states of lightpassing through a head-mounted display device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 4D is a schematic diagram illustrating polarization states of lightpassing through a head-mounted display device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 4E is a schematic diagram illustrating polarization states of lightpassing through a head-mounted display device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional backlight.

FIGS. 5B-5F are schematic diagrams illustrating various directionalbacklight in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram illustrating a head-mounted displaydevice in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram illustrating a head-mounted displaydevice in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6C is a schematic diagram illustrating a head-mounted displaydevice in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 7A-7D are schematic diagrams illustrating a Pancharatnam-Berryphase lens in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 7E-7H are schematic diagrams illustrating a polarization volumehologram lens in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7I is a schematic diagram illustrating a gradient pitchpolarization volume hologram grating in accordance with someembodiments.

These figures are not drawn to scale unless indicated otherwise.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to embodiments, examples of which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide anunderstanding of the various described embodiments. However, it will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the various describedembodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In otherinstances, well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, andnetworks have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarilyobscure aspects of the embodiments.

It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc.are, in some instances, used herein to describe various elements, theseelements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used onlyto distinguish one element from another. For example, a first regioncould be termed a second region, and, similarly, a second region couldbe termed a first region, without departing from the scope of thevarious described embodiments. The first region and the second regionare both regions, but they are not the same region.

The terminology used in the description of the various describedembodiments herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in thedescription of the various described embodiments and the appendedclaims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to includethe plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as usedherein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations ofone or more of the associated listed items. It will be furtherunderstood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and/or“comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence ofstated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or moreother features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components,and/or groups thereof. The term “exemplary” is used herein in the senseof “serving as an example, instance, or illustration” and not in thesense of “representing the best of its kind.”

Embodiments described herein may include or be implemented inconjunction with an artificial reality system. Artificial reality is aform of reality that has been adjusted in some manner beforepresentation to a user, which may include, e.g., a virtual reality (VR),an augmented reality (AR), a mixed reality (MR), a hybrid reality, orsome combination and/or derivatives thereof. Artificial reality contentmay include completely generated content or generated content combinedwith captured (e.g., real-world) content. The artificial reality contentmay include video, audio, haptic feedback, or some combination thereof,and any of which may be presented in a single channel or in multiplechannels (such as stereo video that produces a three-dimensional effectto the viewer). Additionally, in some embodiments, artificial realitymay also be associated with applications, products, accessories,services, or some combination thereof, that are used to, e.g., createcontent in an artificial reality and/or are otherwise used in (e.g.,perform activities in) an artificial reality. The artificial realitysystem that provides the artificial reality content may be implementedon various platforms, including a head-mounted display (HMD) connectedto a host computer system, a standalone HMD, a mobile device orcomputing system, or any other hardware platform capable of providingartificial reality content to one or more viewers.

FIG. 1 illustrates display device 100 in accordance with someembodiments. In some embodiments, display device 100 is configured to beworn on the head of a user (e.g., by having the form of spectacles oreyeglasses, as shown in FIG. 1) or to be included as part of a helmetthat is to be worn by the user. When display device 100 is configured tobe worn on a head of a user or to be included as part of a helmet orheadset, display device 100 is called a head-mounted display.Alternatively, display device 100 is configured for placement inproximity of an eye or eyes of the user at a fixed location, withoutbeing head-mounted (e.g., display device 100 is mounted in a vehicle,such as a car or an airplane, for placement in front of an eye or eyesof the user). As shown in FIG. 1, display device 100 includes display110. Display 110 is configured for presenting visual content (e.g.,augmented reality content, virtual reality content, mixed realitycontent, or any combination thereof) to a user.

In some embodiments, display device 100 includes one or more componentsdescribed below with respect to FIG. 2. In some embodiments, displaydevice 100 includes additional components not shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of system 200 in accordance with someembodiments. The system 200 shown in FIG. 2 includes display device 205(which corresponds to display device 100 shown in FIG. 1), imagingdevice 235, and input interface 240 that are each coupled to console210. While FIG. 2 shows an example of system 200 including one displaydevice 205, imaging device 235, and input interface 240, in otherembodiments, any number of these components may be included in system200. For example, there may be multiple display devices 205 each havingan associated input interface 240 and being monitored by one or moreimaging devices 235, with each display device 205, input interface 240,and imaging device 235 communicating with console 210. In alternativeconfigurations, different and/or additional components may be includedin system 200. For example, in some embodiments, console 210 isconnected via a network (e.g., the Internet) to system 200 or isself-contained as part of display device 205 (e.g., physically locatedinside display device 205). In some embodiments, display device 205 isused to create mixed reality by adding in a view of the realsurroundings. Thus, display device 205 and system 200 described here candeliver virtual reality, mixed reality, and/or augmented reality.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, display device 205 is ahead-mounted display that presents media to a user. Examples of mediapresented by display device 205 include one or more images, video,audio, haptics, or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, audiois presented via an external device (e.g., speakers and/or headphones)that receives audio information from display device 205, console 210, orboth, and presents audio data based on the audio information. In someembodiments, display device 205 immerses a user in a virtualenvironment.

In some embodiments, display device 205 also acts as an augmentedreality (AR) headset. In these embodiments, display device 205 canaugment views of a physical, real-world environment withcomputer-generated elements (e.g., images, video, sound, haptics, etc.).Moreover, in some embodiments, display device 205 is able to cyclebetween different types of operation. Thus, display device 205 operateas a virtual reality (VR) device, an AR device, as glasses or somecombination thereof (e.g., glasses with no optical correction, glassesoptically corrected for the user, sunglasses, or some combinationthereof) based on instructions from application engine 255.

Display device 205 includes electronic display 215, one or moreprocessors 216, eye tracking module 217, adjustment module 218, one ormore locators 220, one or more position sensors 225, one or moreposition cameras 222, memory 228, inertial measurement unit (IMU) 230,or a subset or superset thereof (e.g., display device 205 withelectronic display 215, one or more processors 216, and memory 228,without any other listed components). Some embodiments of display device205 have different modules than those described here. Similarly, thefunctions can be distributed among the modules in a different mannerthan is described here.

One or more processors 216 (e.g., processing units or cores) executeinstructions stored in memory 228. Memory 228 includes high-speed randomaccess memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM, or other random access solidstate memory devices; and may include non-volatile memory, such as oneor more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices,flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid state storage devices.Memory 228, or alternately the non-volatile memory device(s) withinmemory 228, includes a non-transitory computer readable storage medium.In some embodiments, memory 228 or the computer readable storage mediumof memory 228 stores programs, modules and data structures, and/orinstructions for displaying one or more images on electronic display215.

Electronic display 215 displays images to the user in accordance withdata received from console 210 and/or processor(s) 216. In variousembodiments, electronic display 215 may comprise a single adjustableelectronic display element or multiple adjustable electronic displayselements (e.g., a display for each eye of a user).

In some embodiments, the display element includes one or more lightemission devices and a corresponding array of emission intensity array.An emission intensity array is an array of electro-optic pixels,opto-electronic pixels, some other array of devices that dynamicallyadjust the amount of light transmitted by each device, or somecombination thereof. These pixels are placed behind one or more lenses.In some embodiments, the emission intensity array is an array of liquidcrystal based pixels in an LCD (a Liquid Crystal Display). Examples ofthe light emission devices include: an organic light emitting diode, anactive-matrix organic light-emitting diode, a light emitting diode, sometype of device capable of being placed in a flexible display, or somecombination thereof. The light emission devices include devices that arecapable of generating visible light (e.g., red, green, blue, etc.) usedfor image generation. The emission intensity array is configured toselectively attenuate individual light emission devices, groups of lightemission devices, or some combination thereof. Alternatively, when thelight emission devices are configured to selectively attenuateindividual emission devices and/or groups of light emission devices, thedisplay element includes an array of such light emission devices withouta separate emission intensity array.

One or more lenses direct light from the arrays of light emissiondevices (optionally through the emission intensity arrays) to locationswithin each eyebox and ultimately to the back of the user's retina(s).An eyebox is a region that is occupied by an eye of a user locatedproximate to display device 205 (e.g., a user wearing display device205) for viewing images from display device 205. In some cases, theeyebox is represented as a 10 mm×10 mm square. In some embodiments, theone or more lenses include one or more coatings, such as anti-reflectivecoatings.

In some embodiments, the display element includes an infrared (IR)detector array that detects IR light that is retro-reflected from theretinas of a viewing user, from the surface of the corneas, lenses ofthe eyes, or some combination thereof. The IR detector array includes anIR sensor or a plurality of IR sensors that each correspond to adifferent position of a pupil of the viewing user's eye. In alternateembodiments, other eye tracking systems may also be employed.

Eye tracking module 217 determines locations of each pupil of a user'seyes. In some embodiments, eye tracking module 217 instructs electronicdisplay 215 to illuminate the eyebox with IR light (e.g., via IRemission devices in the display element).

A portion of the emitted IR light will pass through the viewing user'spupil and be retro-reflected from the retina toward the IR detectorarray, which is used for determining the location of the pupil.Alternatively, the reflection off of the surfaces of the eye is alsoused to determine the location of the pupil. The IR detector array scansfor retro-reflection and identifies which IR emission devices are activewhen retro-reflection is detected. Eye tracking module 217 may use atracking lookup table and the identified IR emission devices todetermine the pupil locations for each eye. The tracking lookup tablemaps received signals on the IR detector array to locations(corresponding to pupil locations) in each eyebox. In some embodiments,the tracking lookup table is generated via a calibration procedure(e.g., user looks at various known reference points in an image and eyetracking module 217 maps the locations of the user's pupil while lookingat the reference points to corresponding signals received on the IRtracking array). As mentioned above, in some embodiments, system 200 mayuse other eye tracking systems than the embedded IR one described above.

Adjustment module 218 generates an image frame based on the determinedlocations of the pupils. In some embodiments, this sends a discreteimage to the display such that will tile subimages together thus acoherent stitched image will appear on the back of the retina.Adjustment module 218 adjusts an output (i.e. the generated image frame)of electronic display 215 based on the detected locations of the pupils.Adjustment module 218 instructs portions of electronic display 215 topass image light to the determined locations of the pupils. In someembodiments, adjustment module 218 also instructs the electronic displaynot to pass image light to positions other than the determined locationsof the pupils. Adjustment module 218 may, for example, block and/or stoplight emission devices whose image light falls outside of the determinedpupil locations, allow other light emission devices to emit image lightthat falls within the determined pupil locations, translate and/orrotate one or more display elements, dynamically adjust curvature and/orrefractive power of one or more active lenses in the lens (e.g.,microlens) arrays, or some combination thereof.

Optional locators 220 are objects located in specific positions ondisplay device 205 relative to one another and relative to a specificreference point on display device 205. A locator 220 may be a lightemitting diode (LED), a corner cube reflector, a reflective marker, atype of light source that contrasts with an environment in which displaydevice 205 operates, or some combination thereof. In embodiments wherelocators 220 are active (i.e., an LED or other type of light emittingdevice), locators 220 may emit light in the visible band (e.g., about400 nm to 750 nm), in the infrared band (e.g., about 750 nm to 1 mm), inthe ultraviolet band (about 100 nm to 400 nm), some other portion of theelectromagnetic spectrum, or some combination thereof.

In some embodiments, locators 220 are located beneath an outer surfaceof display device 205, which is transparent to the wavelengths of lightemitted or reflected by locators 220 or is thin enough to notsubstantially attenuate the wavelengths of light emitted or reflected bylocators 220. Additionally, in some embodiments, the outer surface orother portions of display device 205 are opaque in the visible band ofwavelengths of light. Thus, locators 220 may emit light in the IR bandunder an outer surface that is transparent in the IR band but opaque inthe visible band.

IMU 230 is an electronic device that generates calibration data based onmeasurement signals received from one or more position sensors 225.Position sensor 225 generates one or more measurement signals inresponse to motion of display device 205. Examples of position sensors225 include: one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, one ormore magnetometers, another suitable type of sensor that detects motion,a type of sensor used for error correction of IMU 230, or somecombination thereof. Position sensors 225 may be located external to IMU230, internal to IMU 230, or some combination thereof.

Based on the one or more measurement signals from one or more positionsensors 225, IMU 230 generates first calibration data indicating anestimated position of display device 205 relative to an initial positionof display device 205. For example, position sensors 225 includemultiple accelerometers to measure translational motion (forward/back,up/down, left/right) and multiple gyroscopes to measure rotationalmotion (e.g., pitch, yaw, roll). In some embodiments, IMU 230 rapidlysamples the measurement signals and calculates the estimated position ofdisplay device 205 from the sampled data. For example, IMU 230integrates the measurement signals received from the accelerometers overtime to estimate a velocity vector and integrates the velocity vectorover time to determine an estimated position of a reference point ondisplay device 205. Alternatively, IMU 230 provides the sampledmeasurement signals to console 210, which determines the firstcalibration data. The reference point is a point that may be used todescribe the position of display device 205. While the reference pointmay generally be defined as a point in space; however, in practice thereference point is defined as a point within display device 205 (e.g., acenter of IMU 230).

In some embodiments, IMU 230 receives one or more calibration parametersfrom console 210. As further discussed below, the one or morecalibration parameters are used to maintain tracking of display device205. Based on a received calibration parameter, IMU 230 may adjust oneor more IMU parameters (e.g., sample rate). In some embodiments, certaincalibration parameters cause IMU 230 to update an initial position ofthe reference point so it corresponds to a next calibrated position ofthe reference point. Updating the initial position of the referencepoint as the next calibrated position of the reference point helpsreduce accumulated error associated with the determined estimatedposition. The accumulated error, also referred to as drift error, causesthe estimated position of the reference point to “drift” away from theactual position of the reference point over time.

Imaging device 235 generates calibration data in accordance withcalibration parameters received from console 210. Calibration dataincludes one or more images showing observed positions of locators 220that are detectable by imaging device 235. In some embodiments, imagingdevice 235 includes one or more still cameras, one or more videocameras, any other device capable of capturing images including one ormore locators 220, or some combination thereof. Additionally, imagingdevice 235 may include one or more filters (e.g., used to increasesignal to noise ratio). Imaging device 235 is optionally configured todetect light emitted or reflected from locators 220 in a field of viewof imaging device 235. In embodiments where locators 220 include passiveelements (e.g., a retroreflector), imaging device 235 may include alight source that illuminates some or all of locators 220, whichretro-reflect the light towards the light source in imaging device 235.Second calibration data is communicated from imaging device 235 toconsole 210, and imaging device 235 receives one or more calibrationparameters from console 210 to adjust one or more imaging parameters(e.g., focal length, focus, frame rate, ISO, sensor temperature, shutterspeed, aperture, etc.).

Input interface 240 is a device that allows a user to send actionrequests to console 210. An action request is a request to perform aparticular action. For example, an action request may be to start or endan application or to perform a particular action within the application.Input interface 240 may include one or more input devices. Example inputdevices include: a keyboard, a mouse, a game controller, data from brainsignals, data from other parts of the human body, or any other suitabledevice for receiving action requests and communicating the receivedaction requests to console 210. An action request received by inputinterface 240 is communicated to console 210, which performs an actioncorresponding to the action request. In some embodiments, inputinterface 240 may provide haptic feedback to the user in accordance withinstructions received from console 210. For example, haptic feedback isprovided when an action request is received, or console 210 communicatesinstructions to input interface 240 causing input interface 240 togenerate haptic feedback when console 210 performs an action.

Console 210 provides media to display device 205 for presentation to theuser in accordance with information received from one or more of:imaging device 235, display device 205, and input interface 240. In theexample shown in FIG. 2, console 210 includes application store 245,tracking module 250, and application engine 255. Some embodiments ofconsole 210 have different modules than those described in conjunctionwith FIG. 2. Similarly, the functions further described below may bedistributed among components of console 210 in a different manner thanis described here.

When application store 245 is included in console 210, application store245 stores one or more applications for execution by console 210. Anapplication is a group of instructions, that when executed by aprocessor, is used for generating content for presentation to the user.Content generated by the processor based on an application may be inresponse to inputs received from the user via movement of display device205 or input interface 240. Examples of applications include: gamingapplications, conferencing applications, video playback application, orother suitable applications.

When tracking module 250 is included in console 210, tracking module 250calibrates system 200 using one or more calibration parameters and mayadjust one or more calibration parameters to reduce error indetermination of the position of display device 205. For example,tracking module 250 adjusts the focus of imaging device 235 to obtain amore accurate position for observed locators on display device 205.Moreover, calibration performed by tracking module 250 also accounts forinformation received from IMU 230. Additionally, if tracking of displaydevice 205 is lost (e.g., imaging device 235 loses line of sight of atleast a threshold number of locators 220), tracking module 250re-calibrates some or all of system 200.

In some embodiments, tracking module 250 tracks movements of displaydevice 205 using second calibration data from imaging device 235. Forexample, tracking module 250 determines positions of a reference pointof display device 205 using observed locators from the secondcalibration data and a model of display device 205. In some embodiments,tracking module 250 also determines positions of a reference point ofdisplay device 205 using position information from the first calibrationdata. Additionally, in some embodiments, tracking module 250 may useportions of the first calibration data, the second calibration data, orsome combination thereof, to predict a future location of display device205. Tracking module 250 provides the estimated or predicted futureposition of display device 205 to application engine 255.

Application engine 255 executes applications within system 200 andreceives position information, acceleration information, velocityinformation, predicted future positions, or some combination thereof ofdisplay device 205 from tracking module 250. Based on the receivedinformation, application engine 255 determines content to provide todisplay device 205 for presentation to the user. For example, if thereceived information indicates that the user has looked to the left,application engine 255 generates content for display device 205 thatmirrors the user's movement in a virtual environment. Additionally,application engine 255 performs an action within an applicationexecuting on console 210 in response to an action request received frominput interface 240 and provides feedback to the user that the actionwas performed. The provided feedback may be visual or audible feedbackvia display device 205 or haptic feedback via input interface 240.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of display device 300 in accordance withsome embodiments. In some other embodiments, display device 300 is partof some other electronic display (e.g., digital microscope, etc.). Insome embodiments, display device 300 includes light emission devicearray 310 and one or more lenses 330. In some embodiments, displaydevice 300 also includes an emission intensity array and an IR detectorarray.

Light emission device array 310 emits image light and optional IR lighttoward the viewing user. Light emission device array 310 may be, e.g.,an array of LEDs, an array of microLEDs, an array of OLEDs, or somecombination thereof. Light emission device array 310 includes lightemission devices 320 that emit light in the visible light (andoptionally includes devices that emit light in the IR). In someembodiments, a microLED includes an LED with an emission areacharacterized by a representative dimension (e.g., a diameter, a width,a height, etc.) of 100 μm or less (e.g., 50 μm, 20 μm, etc.). In someembodiments, a microLED has an emission area having a shape of a circleor a rectangle.

The emission intensity array is configured to selectively attenuatelight emitted from light emission array 310. In some embodiments, theemission intensity array is composed of a plurality of liquid crystalcells or pixels, groups of light emission devices, or some combinationthereof. Each of the liquid crystal cells is, or in some embodiments,groups of liquid crystal cells are, addressable to have specific levelsof attenuation. For example, at a given time, some of the liquid crystalcells may be set to no attenuation, while other liquid crystal cells maybe set to maximum attenuation. In this manner the emission intensityarray is able to control what portion of the image light emitted fromlight emission device array 310 is passed to the one or more lenses 330.In some embodiments, display device 300 uses the emission intensityarray to facilitate providing image light to a location of pupil 350 ofeye 340 of a user, and minimize the amount of image light provided toother areas in the eyebox.

One or more lenses 330 receive the modified image light (e.g.,attenuated light) from the emission intensity array (or directly fromemission device array 310), and shifted by one or more beam shifters360, and direct the shifted image light to a location of pupil 350.

An optional IR detector array detects IR light that has beenretro-reflected from the retina of eye 340, a cornea of eye 340, acrystalline lens of eye 340, or some combination thereof. The IRdetector array includes either a single IR sensor or a plurality of IRsensitive detectors (e.g., photodiodes). In some embodiments, the IRdetector array is separate from light emission device array 310. In someembodiments, the IR detector array is integrated into light emissiondevice array 310.

In some embodiments, light emission device array 310 and the emissionintensity array make up a display element. Alternatively, the displayelement includes light emission device array 310 (e.g., when lightemission device array 310 includes individually adjustable pixels)without the emission intensity array. In some embodiments, the displayelement additionally includes the IR array. In some embodiments, inresponse to a determined location of pupil 350, the display elementadjusts the emitted image light such that the light output by thedisplay element is refracted by one or more lenses 330 toward thedetermined location of pupil 350, and not toward other locations in theeyebox.

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating a head-mounted displaydevice in accordance with some embodiments.

The head-mounted display device 400 includes a display panel 406, acircular polarizer 408, a first partial reflector 410, a phase retarder412 (e.g., an optical phase retarder, such as a quarter waveplate), asecond partial reflector 416, a cavity 414 (e.g., an air gap) betweenthe phase retarder 412 and the second partial reflector 416, and anoptional first optical element 418. “Partial reflectors” include opticalelements that fully reflect (e.g., 100%) light of one polarization(e.g., a reflective polarizer). In some embodiments, the head-mounteddisplay device 400 also includes one or more of: a backlight 402 and alinear absorptive polarizer 404 as shown in FIG. 4A.

Although FIG. 4A illustrates a single eye 340, a person having ordinaryskill in the art would understand that the head-mounted display device400 may work with both eyes of a wearer.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector 410 and the secondpartial reflector 416 jointly constitute an optical assembly 420. Insome embodiments, the optical assembly 420 also includes the optionalfirst optical element 418, the phase retarder 412, and/or the circularpolarizer 408.

In some embodiments, the first optical element 418 is absent from thehead-mounted display device 400. In some embodiments, the phase retarder412 is absent from the head-mounted display device (e.g., when thepolarization states of the light do not require additional phaseshifts).

The optical assembly 420 includes one or more elements that havediffractive power. For example, one or more of the first partialreflector 410, the second partial reflector 416, and the first opticalelement 418 have diffractive power (e.g., an optical power caused bydiffraction).

In some embodiments, the diffractive surfaces of each of the firstpartial reflector 410, second partial reflector 416, and the firstoptical element 418 act independently on light impinging on each of thediffractive surfaces. In some embodiments, one or more of the firstpartial reflector 410, second partial reflector 416, and the firstoptical element 418 have optical power. In some embodiments, thediffractive surfaces define different phase profiles for each of the red(R), green (G), and blue (B) wavelengths. Red wavelengths span ˜635nm-˜700 nm, green wavelengths span ˜520 nm-˜560 nm, and blue wavelengthsspan ˜450 nm-˜490 nm. In some embodiments, one or more of the firstpartial reflector 410, the second partial reflector 416, and the firstoptical element 418 have freeform phase profiles. Such freeform phasesurfaces that are not expressible as an interference between twospherical waves, or interference between a spherical wave and plane wavemay be used to provide optical performance that is otherwise notavailable with non-freeform phase profiles. For example, in some cases,the freeform phase surfaces are configured to give the highestmodulation transfer function (MTF) over all light fields in the desiredeyebox. In some cases, the freeform phase profiles may be describedradially by a polynomial. In some cases, the polynomial may have 1-8terms. In some cases, the freeform phase profiles are described usingForbes, Zernike, or phi-polynomials.

In some embodiments, a thickness of the head-mounted display device 400(e.g., backlight 402 to either the second partial reflector 416 or thefirst optical element 418) is between 5-15 mm.

In some embodiments, the head-mounted display device 400 uses wavelengthsensitive elements instead of correcting for dispersion. Dispersionrefers to variations of the phase velocity of a light wave as a functionof a frequency of the light wave. For example, using wavelengthsensitive elements for R, G, B include using optical elements tailoredfor a particular wavelength range, instead of using a single opticalelement for all wavelengths and correcting for difference in opticalresponses at different wavelengths.

First Partial Reflector 410

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector is apolarization-independent partial reflector that transmits a substantialportion of incident light regardless of its polarization and reflects asubstantial portion of the incident light regardless of itspolarization. In some cases, a polarization-independent partialreflector refers to an optical element that transmits a substantialportion (e.g., at least 10%, 15%, or 20%) of incident light having afirst polarization and a substantial portion (e.g., at least 10%, 15%,or 20%) of incident light having a second polarization that isorthogonal to the first polarization, and reflects a substantial portion(e.g., at least 10%, 15%, or 20%) of the incident light having the firstpolarization and a substantial portion (e.g., at least 10%, 15%, or 20%)of the incident light having the second polarization. In someembodiments, a polarization-independent partial reflector has the samereflectance or transmittance for the light having the first polarizationand the light having the second polarization. However, apolarization-independent partial reflector need not have the samereflectance or transmittance for the light having the first polarizationand the light having the second polarization (e.g., thepolarization-independent partial reflector may have 50% reflectance forp-polarization and 40% reflectance for s-polarization; alternatively,the polarization-independent partial reflector may have 40%transmittance for p-polarization and 60% transmittance fors-polarization). Thus, in some embodiments, a polarization-independentpartial reflector has different reflectances for the light having thefirst polarization and the light having the second polarization. In somecases, the polarization-independent partial reflector is a 50:50 mirrortransmitting 50% of incoming light and reflecting the remaining 50% ofincoming light. Alternatively, the polarization-independent partialreflector may have a different transmittance (e.g., between 20% and 80%,and more specifically between 40% and 60%, such as 20%, 30%, 40%, 45%,55%, 60%, 70%, 80%, etc.) and a different reflectance (e.g., between 20%and 80%, and more specifically between 40% and 60%, such as 20%, 30%,40%, 45%, 55%, 60%, 70%, 80%, etc.).

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector is apolarization-sensitive partial reflector. In some cases, apolarization-sensitive partial reflector refers to an optical elementthat reflects a substantial portion (e.g., at least 10%, 15%, or 20%) ofincident light having a first polarization without reflecting asubstantial portion (e.g., at least 10%, 15%, or 20%) of incident lighthaving a second polarization that is orthogonal to the firstpolarization, and transmits a substantial portion (e.g., at least 10%,15%, or 20%) of the incident light having the second polarization. Insome cases, the polarization-sensitive partial reflector does nottransmit a substantial portion (e.g., at least 10%, 15%, or 20%) of theincident light having the first polarization. For example, apolarization-sensitive partial reflector may reflect at least 80% ofleft circularly polarized light (and transmit less than 20% of leftcircularly polarized light) and transmit at least 90% of rightcircularly polarized light (and reflects less than 10% of rightcircularly polarized light). In some embodiments, the first partialreflector is a reflective holographic element (e.g., a volume Bragggrating (VBG), a polarization volume hologram (PVH), aPancharatnam-Berry phase (PBP) element). There is further description ofdiffractive/holographic elements below.

Second Partial Reflector 416

In configurations that do not include the first optical element 418, thesecond partial reflector 416 defines an output plane of the opticalassembly 420. In some embodiments, the second partial reflector 416 ispolarization sensitive and allows light having a particular polarizationto exit the optical assembly 420 (e.g., by transmitting the light havingthe particular polarization) and prevents light having a polarizationdifferent from (e.g., orthogonal to) the particular polarization (e.g.,by reflecting the light having the different polarization). In someembodiments, it is a reflective polarizer (e.g., a flat reflectivepolarizer). In some cases, a reflective polarizer reflects light havinga first linear polarization (e.g., s-polarization) and transmits lighthaving a second linear polarization (e.g., p-polarization) that isorthogonal to the first linear polarization. In some embodiments, thesecond partial reflector 416 is a PVH. In some cases, PVH reflects afirst circularly polarized light (e.g., left circularly polarized light)and transmits a second circularly polarized light (e.g., rightcircularly polarized light) that is orthogonal to the first circularlypolarized light. In some embodiments, the second partial reflector 416is configured to have optical power.

In the accompanying figures, polarization of light is annotated withuniversal annotations that do not take into account a propagationdirection of a respective ray (e.g., the right-handed circularlypolarized light is annotated with a counter-clockwise arrow regardlessof the propagation direction of light, and the left-handed circularlypolarized light is annotated with a clockwise arrow regardless of thepropagation direction of light). FIGS. 4B-4E are described independentlyof each other. For example, a first direction in any one of FIGS. 4B-4Eis not necessarily a same direction as a first direction in another oneof FIGS. 4B-4E.

A Reflective Polarizer as the Second Partial Reflector 416

FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating polarization states of lightpassing through the head-mounted display device 400 in accordance withsome embodiments. In FIG. 4B, the first partial reflector 410 is a VBGand the second partial reflector 416 is a reflective polarizer. In someembodiments, the reflective polarizer is positioned to reflectvertically polarized light and transmits horizontally polarized light(or vice versa). The linear polarizer 404 transmits light 440-a, havinga vertical polarization, toward the transmissive display panel 406 fromthe backlight 402. A portion of the linearly polarized light 440-apasses through the circular polarizer 408 as light 440-b that is leftcircularly polarized. Alternatively, an optical phase retarder (e.g., aquarter waveplate) may be used in place of the circular polarizer 408 toconvert the linearly polarized light (e.g., vertically polarized light)to a circularly polarized light (e.g., left circularly polarized light).The first partial reflector 410 transmits a portion of (e.g., 50%, 60%,70%, 80%, 90%, 100%) the light 440-b as light 440-c, while maintainingits polarization (e.g., left circular polarization). In someembodiments, when the first partial reflector 410 is a VBG, the VBGtransmits approximately 50% of incident light, independently of itspolarization. The light 440-c passes through the phase retarder 412.When the phase retarder 412 is a quarter waveplate, the light 440-cbecomes light 440-d, which is vertically polarized. The reflectivepolarizer (the second partial reflector 416) reflects the verticallypolarized light as light 440-e, back toward the quarter waveplate 412,while maintaining its linear polarization. The quarter waveplate 412changes the light 440-e to left circularly polarized light 440-f. Thefirst partial reflector 410, which is a VBG in the embodiments shown inFIG. 4B, reflects the light 440-f as light 440-g, having a different(e.g., orthogonal) polarization, such that the light 440-g is rightcircularly polarized. The light 440-g is converted into horizontallypolarized light 440-h after passing through the quarter waveplate 412.The horizontally polarized light 440-h is transmitted through thereflective polarizer (the second partial reflector 416) toward eyebox480.

In some embodiments, a linear polarizer 426 is placed downstream of thesecond partial reflector 416 (e.g., so that the second partial reflector416 is located between the linear polarizer and the first partialreflector 410). The linear polarizer 426 is positioned to block aportion of the light 440-d (e.g., having the vertical linearpolarization), if any, transmitted through the second partial reflector416 and transmit the light 440-h (e.g., having the horizontalpolarization).

In some embodiments, the head-mounted display device 400 includes afirst optical element 418, and the light 440-h passes through the firstoptical element 418 on its way to the eyebox 480. In configurationswhere the first optical element 418 is configured to provide opticalpower, the first optical element 418 may focus or defocus the light440-h.

In some embodiments, the second partial reflector 416 is apolarization-independent partial reflector (e.g., a partial mirror, suchas a 50:50 mirror) or a VBG, instead of a reflective polarizer.

A Reflective Polarization Volume Hologram (PVH) as the Second PartialReflector 416

FIG. 4C is a schematic diagram illustrating polarization states of lightpassing through a head-mounted display device 401 in accordance withsome embodiments. The head-mounted display device 401 is similar to thehead-mounted display device 400 shown in FIG. 4B, except that the secondpartial reflector 416 is a reflective PVH and the phase retarder 412(shown in FIG. 4B) is omitted. PVH may be configured to maintaincircular polarization of reflected light. For example, first light 450having a first circular polarization (e.g., left circularly polarizedlight) impinges on the reflective PVH and is reflected as second light452 having the same first circular polarization (e.g., left circularlypolarized light). Thus, in such embodiments, the phase retarder 412(shown in FIG. 4B) may be omitted in the optical assembly 420. Thesecond light 452 having the first polarization changes to third light454 having a second polarization (e.g., right circularly polarizedlight) distinct from the first polarization when the second light 452 isreflected by the first partial reflector 410 (e.g., the first partialreflector 410 is a polarization-independent partial reflector or a VBG).The third light 454 having the second polarization exits the opticalassembly 420 when it is transmitted through the reflective PVH (secondpartial reflector 416).

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector 410 is apolarization-independent partial reflector (e.g., a partial mirror, suchas a 50:50 mirror) or a VBG, instead of a PVH.

A Polarization-Independent Partial Reflector as the Second PartialReflector 416

In some embodiments, a head-mounted display device similar to thehead-mounted display device 400 shown in FIG. 4B includes apolarization-independent partial reflector (e.g., a partial mirror, suchas a 50:50 mirror transmitting 50% of incoming light and reflecting theremaining 50% of incoming light, or a partial mirror having atransmittance other than 50% and a reflectance other than 50%) as thesecond partial reflector 416 instead of a reflective polarizer. In sucha configuration, the linear polarizer 426 is effective in reducing anyghost image caused by a portion of the light 440-d that is transmittedthrough the second partial reflector 416.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector 410 is a VBG or apolarization-independent partial reflector (e.g., a partial mirror, suchas a 50:50 mirror). In some embodiments, the first partial reflector 410is a PVH.

A VBG as the Second Partial Reflector 416 or the First Partial Reflector410

FIG. 4D is a schematic diagram illustrating polarization states of lightpassing through a head-mounted display device 403 in accordance withsome embodiments. The head-mounted display device 403 is similar to thehead-mounted display device 401 shown in FIG. 4C, except that the firstpartial reflector 410 is either a partial mirror or a VBG and the secondpartial reflector 416 is either a partial mirror or a VBG. For example,in some configurations, the first partial reflector 410 is a partialmirror and the second partial reflector 416 is a VBG. In some otherconfigurations, the first partial reflector 410 is a VBG and the secondpartial reflector 416 is a partial mirror. In yet some otherconfigurations, the first partial reflector 410 is a VBG and the secondpartial reflector 416 is a VBG. These configurations cause reflection offirst light 450 having a first polarization (e.g., left circularlypolarized light) and impinging on the second partial reflector 416 assecond light 456 having a second polarization (e.g., right circularlypolarized light) different from (e.g., orthogonal to) the firstpolarization. The first partial reflector 410 reflects the second light456 having the second polarization as third light 458 having the firstpolarization (e.g., left circularly polarized light), which istransmitted through the second partial reflector 416. However, in someembodiments, at least one of the first partial reflector 410 and thesecond partial reflector 416 is not a partial mirror.

In some embodiments, the head-mounted display device 403 includes apolarizer 428 (e.g., a circular polarizer or a linear polarizer). Thepolarizer 428 is placed downstream of the second partial reflector 416(e.g., so that the second partial reflector 416 is located between thepolarizer 428 and the first partial reflector 410). The polarizer 428 ispositioned to block a portion of the light 450 (e.g., having the leftcircular polarization), if any, transmitted through the second partialreflector 416 and transmit the light 458 (e.g., having the horizontalpolarization).

First Optical Element 418

In some embodiments, the first optical element 418 is a transmissivediffractive element (e.g., VBG, PBP element, PVH, etc.). In someembodiments, the head-mounted display device 400 (or the head-mounteddisplay device 401 or 403) does not include the first optical element.

FIG. 4E is a schematic diagram illustrating polarization states of lightpassing through a head-mounted display device 405 in accordance withsome embodiments. The head-mounted display device 405 is similar to thehead-mounted display device 400 shown in FIG. 4B, except that thehead-mounted display device 405 includes a second optical assembly 422in place of the first optical element 418. In some configurations, thesecond optical assembly 422 operates as a third partial reflector. Thesecond optical assembly 422 includes circular polarizer 424-1, partialreflector 424-2, phase retarder 424-3, and second partial reflector424-4, arranged in a similar order as the circular polarizer 408, thefirst partial reflector 410, the phase retarder 412, and second partialreflector 416 in the optical assembly 420.

The second partial reflector 424-4, in some embodiments as shown in FIG.4E, reflects horizontally polarized light and transmits verticallypolarized light. The circular polarizer 424-1 in the second opticalassembly 422 converts at least a portion of the horizontally polarizedlight transmitted through the second partial reflector 416 intocircularly polarized light (e.g., right circularly polarized light),which passes through the first partial reflector 424-2. In someembodiments, the phase retarder 424-3 is a quarter waveplate thatconverts the right circularly polarized light into horizontallypolarized light, which is reflected back toward the quarter waveplate(phase retarder 424-3) by the second partial reflector 424-4. Thequarter waveplate 424-3 turns the horizontally polarized light into leftcircularly polarized light, which is reflected by the first partialreflector 424-2. The reflected light maintains its polarization and isconverted into vertically polarized light by the quarter waveplate(phase retarder 424-3).

In some embodiments, the head-mounted display device 405 includes aphase retarder 430 (e.g., a quarter waveplate). The phase retarder 430converts a polarization of the light from the second partial reflector416 (e.g., from the horizontal polarization to the right circularpolarization). In some embodiments, when the head-mounted display device405 includes the phase retarder 430, the head-mounted display device 405may not include the circular polarizer 424-1 (e.g., the head-mounteddisplay device 405 may include the phase retarder 430 in addition to, orinstead of, the circular polarizer 424-1).

In some embodiments, a cavity (not drawn to scale in FIG. 4E) betweenthe phase retarder 424-3 and the second partial reflector 424-4 isapproximately zero.

In FIG. 4E, the second optical assembly 422 replaces a transmissivefirst optical element 418 (shown in FIG. 4B) with a series of reflectiveelements (e.g., first partial reflector 424-2 and second partialreflector 424-4). An advantage of using a reflective element, such asthe second optical assembly 422, is its ability to reflect zeroth orderleakage light back towards the display panel 406, away from the eyebox480, thereby improving a contrast at the eyebox 480 between a dark pixeland a bright pixel of the display.

In some embodiments, phase profiles of one or more of the first partialreflector 410, the second partial reflector 416, and the first opticalelement 418 shown in FIGS. 4A-4D are freeform (e.g., one or more of thefirst partial reflector 410, the second partial reflector 416, and thefirst optical element 418 are freeform optics). In some embodiments,phase profiles of one or more of the first partial reflector 410, thesecond partial reflector 416, the first partial reflector 424-2, and thesecond partial reflector 424-4 shown in FIG. 4E are freeform.

Light Source

In some embodiments, the light source for the head-mounted displaydevice 400 is a laser that supplies light to the backlight 402. In someembodiments, the laser has a narrow spectrum of less than 2 nm (e.g.,less than 1 nm, between 0.1 to 1 nm). In some embodiments, three or morelasers supply light at different wavelengths to the backlight 402,illuminating the display panel 406 at R, G, B colors. In someembodiments, more than three lasers are used to increase the colorgamut. In some embodiments, a wavelength of the laser(s) is selected tomaximize color gamut and/or perceptual sensitivity.

In some embodiments, the laser uses active control (e.g. a photodiodecontrol loop) and/or passive control (e.g., VBG stabilization grating)to control a wavelength or spectrum of light emitted from the laser.

In some embodiments, multiple lasers are configured to have a commonpolarization that is matched to the designed polarization of thehead-mounted display device 400. In such embodiments, commonpolarization optics can be used for light from the multiple lasers.

Light sources having a wider spectrum have limited resolution in theperipheral field of view (FOV). Due to dispersion, different wavelengthsare diffracted at different angles and blur out the image. In contrast,light sources having a narrower spectrum have longer coherence lengththat can lead to greater laser speckle. The spectrum of the laser lightsource is selected to balance the resolution of peripheral FOV and theextent of laser speckle.

In some embodiments, light emitting diodes (LED) are used as the lightsource. Examples of light emitting diodes include inorganic lightemitting diodes (ILED), superluminescent light emitting diode (SLED),and organic light-emitting diode (OLED). In some embodiments, similar tousing lasers, three or more LEDs covering the R, G, B, wavelengths areused. Alternatively, in some embodiments, a white LED is used when thedisplay panel 406 has color filters (e.g., for each of the R, G, Bwavelengths).

In some embodiments, light from the LEDs is filtered (e.g., by colorfilters). In some embodiments, color conversion materials (e.g. quantumdots) are placed in an optical path of the LED to modify (e.g., shiftand/or narrow) the spectrum of light delivered to the display panel 406and the eyebox 480.

In some embodiments, light sources are directly coupled to the backlight402. In some embodiments, light sources deliver light to downstreamoptics (e.g., backlight 402, linear polarizer 404) through a sharedoptical fiber. In some embodiments, the light source coupled into theoptical fiber is located away from the optical assembly 420 in the headmounted display device 400. In some embodiments, the light sourcecoupled into the optical fiber is located off the headset (e.g. in apuck placed on a belt or in a pocket) and the light from the lightsource travels along the optical fiber for delivery to the head mounteddisplay device 400. In some embodiments, the optical fiber used tocouple the light from the light source to downstream optics ispolarization maintaining.

In some embodiments, the light sources are configured to provide pulsedlight (e.g., having a pulse width less than 50 ms, 40 ms, 30 ms, 20 ms,10 ms, 5 ms, 3 ms, 2 ms, or 1 ms). In some embodiments, the pulsed lightis used to control display persistence (e.g., reduce motion blur fromdisplay persistence). In some embodiments, the light sources are pulsedfor color sequential illumination, such that each color is cycledthrough at a selected framerate. For example, each of the three colorsis pulsed at 180 Hz, to be used with a matching display panel 406 tocreate a 60 Hz color display.

In some embodiments, wavelengths of the light sources are chosen tomatch wavelength ranges in which the diffractive elements have thehighest efficiency.

Despeckler

Light sources that have high coherence (e.g. laser) can cause an imageformed by light from the light sources to have speckle (e.g., a granularpattern) or noise. In some embodiments, a despeckler is used to reducethe speckle. In some embodiments, the despeckler has a time-varyingrandom phase pattern that provides temporal and angular variation to“blur” out the noise over time. With the use of a despeckler, a narrowspectrum may be used to provides high resolution for the head-mounteddisplay device 400 while reducing the speckle.

In some embodiments, the despeckler is mechanical (e.g., includes arotating diffuser screen). In some embodiments, the despeckler isnon-mechanical (e.g., includes an electro-active polymer that undergoesdeformations at frequencies of a few hundred Hz based on electricalfield applied to it).

While a despeckler can potentially be placed anywhere between the lightsource and the display panel 406, placing the despeckler near the lightsource allows an area of the despeckler to be kept small when the lightsource is divergent. The angular range and the feature size of thedespeckler are selected to eliminate the speckle while maintaining theetendue of the light. For example, the angular spread emerging from thedesplecker after the time-varying random phase pattern has interactedwith the light from the light source should also be small enough so thatall light is collected though rest of optical system without reducingefficiency.

In some embodiments, the despeckler maintains a polarization of thelight source. This reduces polarization-associated loss, therebymaintaining an efficiency of the head-mounted display device 400. Insome embodiments, the light from the light source is despeckled beforeinjection into an optical fiber, in which case a multi-mode opticalfiber is used.

Backlight 402

In some embodiments, the backlight 402 is a conventional backlight 500as shown in FIG. 5A, in which a light source 502 is coupled into an edgeof a light guide 504. The light guide 504 has etched features 506 thatoutcouple light by causing diffusion of the light (e.g., a span of 180°adjacent to a surface of the light guide 504).

In some embodiments, the backlight 402 is a first directional backlight510 as shown in FIG. 5B. In the first directional backlight 510, a firstadditional element 512 is placed on top of a conventional backlight todirect light into a preferential range of angles 514. In someembodiments, the first additional element 512 is a Fresnel lens. In someembodiments, the first additional element 512 is adiffractive/holographic optical element such as a surface relief grating(SRG), PBP, VBG or PVH. The configuration shown in 5B operates intransmission mode.

In some embodiments, the backlight 402 is a second directional backlight520 as shown in FIG. 5C. In the second directional backlight 520, asecond additional element 522 is placed on top of the conventionalbacklight to attenuate light so that light is outcoupled in apreferential range of angles. In some embodiments, the second additionalelement 522 is an angle controlling faceplate.

In some embodiments, the backlight 402 is a third directional backlight530 as shown in FIG. 5D. The directional backlight 530 includesscattering features 532 chosen to scatter light in a selected range ofangles. In some embodiments, the scattering features are part of arandomized, roughened surface similar to those in an engineereddiffuser. In some cases, the scattering of the light in the preferentialrange of angles occurs via a stochastic process.

In some embodiments, the backlight 402 is a fourth directional backlight540, as shown in FIG. 5E, having an outcoupling element 542 on the lightguide 544. The configuration shown in 5E operates in reflection mode. Insome embodiments, the outcoupling element 542 is a surface reliefgrating (SRG), VBG, PVH or other diffractive elements that outcouplelight in a selected range of angles.

In some embodiments, the backlight 402 is a fifth directional backlight550 having a Fresnel or diffractive/holographic element 554 (e.g. VBG,PBP, PVH, DOE, etc.) that is used to direct light from an off-axissource 552 through free space into a selected range of angles. In someembodiments, the fifth directional backlight 550 operates in atransmissive configuration as shown in FIG. 5F (e.g., the light from theFresnel or diffractive/holographic element 554 emerges from a surfaceopposite to the off-axis source 552). In some embodiments, the fifthdirectional backlight operates in a reflective configuration (e.g., thelight from the Fresnel or diffractive/holographic element 554 emergesfrom a surface facing the off-axis source 552).

Directional backlighting improves light efficiency and contrast. In someembodiments, a preferential range of angles of light emerging from thebacklight 402 is selected to allow light within that preferential rangeto enter the eyebox 480. In some embodiments, the preferential range ofangles is tuned to an angular selectivity of the diffractive/holographicoptics in the head mounted display device 400.

In some embodiments, the emission angles vary spatially over the planeof the backlight 402 (e.g., the emission angles vary along thex-direction, the emission angles vary along the y-direction, theemission angles vary along both the x-direction and the y-direction, orthe emission angles vary radially). In some embodiments, a range ofemission angles is selected for each position on the backlight (e.g., ata particular coordinate (x,y) on the backlight 402) to match the desiredeyebox size.

In some embodiments, the preferential range of angles is chosen to causethe light from the backlight 402 to form an approximate real or virtualpoint/area at some distance in front of or behind the display panel 406.

In some embodiments, the directional backlight steers light toward thepupil 350 of the eye 340. In some embodiments, for increased efficiency,directional backlight steers light towards the pupil 350 of the eye 340by dynamically changing emission angles to those corresponding totracked position of the pupil 350.

Display Panel 406

For a display panel 406 that is transmissive (e.g., LCD), the backlight402 is placed behind (e.g., upstream along an optical path from thelight source to the eyebox 480) the display panel 406 (e.g., the displaypanel 406 is located between the backlight 402 and the eyebox 480 or theoptical assembly 420). In some embodiments, the light source includes alaser and color filters tuned to laser wavelengths. For example, thecolor filters may be high efficiency, narrow bandwidth filters that havehigh transmission at the wavelength ranges of the laser lines emitted bythe light source. In some embodiments, light from each laser line istransmitted by a single color filter so that the transmission ranges ofthe color filters do not overlap. In some embodiments, color sequentialbacklight is used for higher efficiency.

For a display panel 406 that is reflective (e.g., LiquidCrystal-on-Silicon), a “front light” is placed in front of the displaypanel 406 (e.g., the light source is positioned in front of the displaypanel 406 at an oblique angle using a combining element or is emittedout of a transparent waveguide).

In some embodiments, the reflective display is color sequential. In someembodiments, the head-mounted display device includes light sources formore than three colors (e.g., uses yellow as a fourth color) so that thereflective display may reflect four or more colors of light to presentan image. LCOS offers a high resolution and a high fill factor (e.g., aratio between an area of a mirror (of a pixel) and a sum of the area ofthe mirror and a spacing between two adjacent mirrors). In someembodiments, for reflective displays operating in a color sequentialmode, the color fields are adjusted individually based on head and/oreye tracking data to minimize perceived motion and/or color artifacts toa user of the head-mounted display device 400.

In some embodiments, the display panel 406 is an emissive display panelsuch as micro-LED or OLED, that generates its own light, and does notneed (and thus, does not use) a separate backlight or light source. Insome embodiments, the emission display panel have additional layers tocontrol emission angle and/or spectrum, in a manner similar to thosedescribed with respect to FIGS. 5A-5F.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector 410 is positionedadjacent to the display panel 406. In some embodiments, the firstpartial reflector 410 is in contact with the display panel 406.

Polarization Optics

In some embodiments, the head-mounted display device 400 uses phaseretarders 412. In some embodiments, the phase retarders 412 arewaveplates. In some embodiments, the waveplates are configured toprovide uniform retardation (at quarter or half wave) over a broadangular and spectral range of the light sources. In some embodiments,the spectral performance of the waveplates (in the optical assembly 420and/or the optical assembly 422) is tuned to specific laser lines of thelight sources, rather than to the full visible spectrum. In someembodiments, a waveplate is a multilayer film, or a stretch film.

In some embodiments, the polarization optics in the head-mounted displaydevice 400 includes a reflective polarizer. In some embodiments, thereflective polarizer is one selected from a group consisting of a wiregrid, a polymer film, and a cholesteric liquid crystal structure. Insome embodiments, the reflective polarizer is a PVH. In someembodiments, the reflective polarizer is tuned to laser lines of thelaser light sources.

In some cases, zero order leakage in the optical components of thehead-mounted display device causes a user of the head-mounted displaydevice 400 to see a direct and unfocused view of the display panel orthe light source. In some embodiments, polarization optics is tuned toreduce the zeroth order leakage. For example, zeroth order leakage isreduced by designing the polarization optics for normal incidence.

Diffractive/Holographic Elements

In some embodiments, the diffractive/holographic elements inside theoptical assembly 420 provide a given optical prescription (includingzero optical power) at three or more wavelengths. In some embodiments,the second partial reflector 416 has optical power.

VBG

In some embodiments, VBG is not polarization sensitive. In someembodiments, VBG is a transmissive element used as the first opticalelement 418. In some embodiments, VBG is a reflective element used asthe first partial reflector 410.

In some embodiments, the VBG is recorded in a photopolymer. In someembodiments, the VBG is recorded using silver halide. In someembodiments, the VBG is recorded using dichromated gelatin.

In some embodiments, three (or more) holograms that act independentlyfor at least the different colors (e.g., R, G, B wavelengths) arerecorded in the VBG. In some embodiments, the VBG is recorded bymultiplexing three holograms in the same element, resulting in a singlelayer element in which the three (or more) holograms are aligned.

In some embodiments, the VBG is formed by independently stackingseparately recorded R, G, B holograms. In some embodiments, additionaloptical elements or features compensate for displacements between theholograms in the stack.

In some embodiments, the VBG is formed by shared stacking. In sharedstacking, holograms for the R, G, B colors are recorded and sharedbetween layers of the stack. The shared stacking VBG can include anynumber of layers. In some embodiments, no gap is left between the layersto reduce or eliminate interference between the layers.

In some embodiments, the refractive index modulation in the VBG issufficient to give a desired diffraction efficiency for each multiplexedcolor (e.g., 50% to 100% efficiency for a respective color independentof the diffraction efficiency for any other color). In some embodiments,when a particular material does not provide sufficient refractive indexmodulation for each of the multiplexed color, stacking is employed sovarious multiplexed colors do not have to share the index modulation ina single element.

In some embodiments, the VBG has a thickness that supports a broadangular range, which, in turn, provides a desired eyebox size.

In some embodiments, multiple holograms are used when the recordingmaterial does not have sufficient angular selectivity to support adesired eyebox. In such a case, each of the multiple holograms is tunedfor a portion of the angular selectivity corresponding to a part of theeyebox by tuning the angles of the recording beams. For example, for aVBG having a radially symmetric design, a first hologram provides acentral disk and subsequent holograms record surrounding annuli (e.g.,concentric rings) that fill out the eyebox. In some embodiments, themultiple holograms are recorded in a single element (e.g., multiplexed)or on multiple stacked element.

PVH

In some embodiments, PVH is used as a transmissive element. In someembodiments, PVH is used as a reflective element. In general, PVH ispolarization sensitive and they can be used to add optical power to thesecond partial reflector 416. In some embodiments, multiple hologramsare stacked to provide a broadband coverage (e.g., three holograms arestacked in a PVH to provide R, G, B coverage). In some embodiments, asingle-layer gradient-pitch PVH reflects R, G, B. In some embodiments, agradient-pitch PVH lens has different deflect/reflect angle, giving riseto different focal lengths for different wavelengths. Further details ofgradient-pitch PVH are described in FIG. 7I.

PBP

Like PVH, PBP is a polarization sensitive element. In some embodiments,PBP is used as a transmissive first optical element 418. In someembodiments, PBP is wavelength sensitive and different phase profilesare provided for each color.

Metasurface

In some embodiments, at least one of the first partial reflector, thesecond partial reflector, and the first optical element includes ametasurface. A metasurface is a sheet material with sub-wavelengththickness. A metasurface includes either structured or unstructured withsubwavelength-scaled patterns on the plane of the metasurface. In someembodiments, a metasurface is designed to provide a desired phaseresponse at particular wavelengths. The desired phase response includesintroducing a specific phase profile spatially along the x-y plane. Forexample, the spatial phase profile may be a quadratic phase modulationon the light field propagating through the metasurface, resulting in aneffective optical lens effect of focusing the light field. In someembodiments, the metasurface is polarization sensitive.

Multi-Order Diffractive Optical Elements

In some embodiments, diffractive elements are designed to give a desiredphase delay at multiple wavelengths by using a diffractive structurewhose optical path length is an integer multiple of multiplewavelengths.

Ordinary Diffractive Elements

Ordinary diffractive surfaces such as surface relief gratings and ruledgratings, etc. generally cannot tune performance individually formultiple wavelengths. Instead, multiple surfaces are designedcollectively to minimize dispersion over playback wavelengths.

Recording of Diffractive/Holographic Elements

In some embodiments, diffractive/holographic elements are recordedinterferometrically or with a programmatically controlled phase profile.

In some embodiments, recording beams deviate from nominal profiles tocompensate for material properties of the recording medium, such asshrinkage in the recorded hologram resulting in a different playbackhologram than the intended/nominal hologram (in the absence ofshrinkage).

In some embodiments, recording beams deviate from nominal profiles tocompensate for different playback and recording wavelengths. Forexample, the hologram may be recorded at 532 nm but is played back at520 nm.

In some embodiments, recording beams deviate from nominal profiles tocompensate for different playback and recording angles. In someembodiments, recording beams deviate from nominal profiles to compensatefor different placement of stacked elements.

In some embodiments, a minimum pitch of the diffractive elements is lessthan 1 micron. This is the pitch of the periodic structure/fringes inthe diffractive structure.

The efficiency of the hologram may be tuned spatially and/or angularlyto give approximately uniform intensity over the field of view and/oreyebox. For VBG, efficiency can be controlled by changing the refractiveindex modulation of the gratings. The refractive index modulation ischanged by controlling the intensity of the recording beams spatially.In some embodiments, multiplexed holograms compensate for opticalaberrations by recording different phase profiles for different angles.

In some embodiments, transmissive diffractive/holographic elements arestacked together. In some embodiments, the transmissivediffractive/holographic elements have different phase profiles toincrease an optical power of the system and/or improve an opticalcorrection within the head-mounted display device 400.

In some embodiments, phase profiles on one or more of thediffractive/holographic elements are tuned for the user of thehead-mounted display device 400. For example, the phase profiles provideprescription vision correction to the user.

In some embodiments, polarization sensitive diffractive/holographicelements (e.g., PVH, PBP) are used in conjunction with additionalpolarizers to reduce zero-order leakage of light by “cleaning up” thepolarization of light reflected or transmitted through the polarizationsensitive elements.

In some cases, in which the diffractive/holographic elements have highoptical power, the diffractive/holographic element can be very sensitiveto alignment. In some embodiments, an optical stack of holograms isdesigned to self-compensate for thermal effects within each element(e.g., by selecting materials with complementary thermal expansion).This reduces the misalignment caused by thermal expansion of theholograms.

Varifocal

In some embodiments, a variable focus display is achieved usingmechanical means, for example, by moving the display panel 406 away fromthe first partial reflector 410. In some embodiments, a variable focusdisplay is achieved by changing the size of the cavity 414 (e.g.,changing a distance between the first partial reflector 410 and thesecond partial reflector 416).

The embodiments disclosed herein are very lightweight and are highmagnification optics that are ideal for mechanical focusing: the mass tobe moved mechanically is low and the travel distance is very small.Depending on magnification, the required travel is generally in therange of 30-150 microns per diopter of focal change. Thus, anticipatedconfigurations have a sub-millimeter range of motion throughout a largefocus range.

In some embodiments, the head-mounted display device includes anamplified piezo actuator. An amplified piezo actuator is capable ofinducing high precision, small scale motion. In some embodiments, directpiezo actuator, stepper motor, DC motor, or electrically controlledpolymers are used. In some embodiments, rails or flexure arrays are usedas a guidance mechanism.

In some embodiments, the varifocal mechanism is used to compensate forcomponent alignment tolerances. For example, for misalignment due toassembly tolerances and thermal effects.

In some embodiments, the varifocal mechanism compensates for viewer eyeaberrations (e.g. lens prescription), or optical aberrations (e.g. fieldcurvature) at the tracked viewer eye position.

In some embodiments, an additional external focusing element, such as aliquid lens or PBP lens stack, is used to achieve varifocal ability.

Example Configuration 1

FIG. 6A shows a head-mounted display device 600. A surface 604 denotes astack of a display panel (e.g., 406 in FIG. 4A), a circular polarizer(e.g., 408 in FIG. 4A), a first partial reflector (e.g., 410 in FIG.4A), and a phase retarder (e.g., 412 in FIG. 4A) for the head-mounteddisplay device 600.

A surface 606 denotes the second partial reflector (e.g., the secondpartial reflector 416 in FIG. 4A), and D2 denotes the distance betweenthe first partial reflector and a second partial reflector. A surface612 denotes the eyebox (e.g., 480 in FIG. 4A). There is no first opticalelement in the head-mounted display device 600 of Example Configuration1 shown in FIG. 6A.

In FIG. 6A, a light bundle 608 diverges from the surface 604. In someembodiments, a directional backlight (e.g., 402 in FIG. 4A) has lightscattering features that direct light in a selected range of anglesalong the +z direction. In some embodiments, back-tracing the light inthe preferential range of angles along the −z direction leads to avirtual point source 602 from which an emission cone 603 of lightemanates. The virtual point source 602 is located at a distance D1behind the surface 604. Light from the virtual point source 602 isrelayed by optics in the head-mounted display device 600 to an eyebox ofthe user.

The first partial reflector in the head-mounted display device 600 is areflective VBG and the second partial reflector is a reflectivepolarizer having no optical power. The light bundle 610 reflecting offthe reflective polarizer impinges on the reflective VBG and issubstantially retro-reflected. In this way, the reflective VBG supportsa wide range of incidence angles of light (coming from the reflectivepolarizer), allowing the head-mounted display device 600 to have a largeeyebox. In some embodiments, the reflective VBG contains planes ofrefractive index modulation that are substantially perpendicular to anincidence direction of the light bundle 610.

In some embodiments, the reflective VBG in the head-mounted displaydevice 600 has a phase profile that focuses light from a point at adistance D4 from the VBG substantially back to the same point, akin to aspherical mirror focusing a point at a center of curvature back to thesame point. In some embodiments, the second partial reflector is notplaced at a focal plane of the first partial reflector.

In some embodiments, D2 is approximately 50 mm, 25 mm, 20 mm, 17.5 mm,15 mm, 12.5 mm, or 10 mm. By folding the optical path in the opticalassembly 420 and having the cavity D2, the head-mounted display device600 is able to accommodate a longer focal length optics in a compactspace.

Example Configuration 2

FIG. 6B shows a head-mounted display device 640. A surface 644 denotes astack of a display panel (e.g., 406 in FIG. 4A), a circular polarizer(e.g., 408 in FIG. 4A), and a first partial reflector (e.g., 410 in FIG.4A). In some embodiments, the first partial reflector is a reflectiveVBG. In FIG. 6B, the reflective VBG operates substantially as aretroreflector and has a phase profile that focuses light from a pointat a distance D4 from the VBG substantially back to the same point, asdescribed above in reference to FIG. 6A. The head-mounted display device640 shown in FIG. 6B has no first optical element.

A surface 646 denotes a second partial reflector, which is a PVH. Insome embodiments, the PVH has lower optical power than the first partialreflector. In some embodiments, the PVH has primarily negative opticalpower.

The head-mounted display device 640 has two surfaces (the VBG and thePVH) that can correct optical aberrations in the optical system. In someembodiments, the PVH has a phase profile that corrects some of theaberrations that are present in the head-mounted display device 600 ofExample Configuration 1. In some embodiments, the PVH has a freeformsurface to reduce aberration.

Example Configuration 3

FIG. 6C shows a head-mounted display device 670. A surface 674 denotes astack of a display panel (e.g., 406 in FIG. 4A), a circular polarizer(e.g., 408 in FIG. 4A), a first partial reflector (e.g., 410 in FIG.4A), and a phase retarder (e.g., 412 in FIG. 4A). In the head-mounteddisplay device 670, the first partial reflector is an ordinarybeamsplitter (e.g., a flat 50:50 mirror). In some embodiments, anordinary beamsplitter is a plate beamsplitters having a thin, flat glassplate that has been coated on one surface of the glass plate. In someembodiments, plate beamsplitters have an anti-reflection coating on thesecond surface to remove unwanted Fresnel reflections. In someembodiments, plate beamsplitters are designed for a 45° angle ofincidence. In some embodiments, the beamsplitters have an angle ofincidence between 0-30°. The second partial reflector is a reflectivepolarizer without any optical power. Surface 676 denote a stack of boththe second partial reflector and the first optical element. In someembodiments, the first optical element is a transmissive element havinga quadratic or approximately quadratic phase profile. A quadratic phaseprofile allows the first optical element to focus light spherically. Insome embodiments, a transmissive element having a longer focal lengthcan be used because an optical path from the display panel to thetransmissive element is lengthened by folding of the optical pathbetween the first partial reflector and the second partial reflector.The transmissive element having the longer focal length allows thehead-mounted display device 670 to have superior performance within thesame form factor. In some embodiments, the first optical elementincludes a reflective element, like the second optical assembly 422shown in FIG. 4E.

In some embodiments, the backlight in the head-mounted display device670 is directional, but not spatially variant. In some embodiments, thebacklight emits light over a cone with a full angle of approximately 30degrees relative to the surface normal.

In the head-mounted display device 670, while the first partialreflector and the second partial reflector have no optical power, thefirst optical element in the head-mounted display device 670 has anoptical power.

In some embodiments, D2 is approximately 20 mm, 17.5 mm, 15 mm, 12.5 mm,10 mm, 7.5 mm, or 5 mm.

FIGS. 7A-7D are schematic diagrams illustrating Pancharatnam-berry phase(PBP) lens 700 in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments,PBP lens 700 is a liquid crystal optical element that includes a layerof liquid crystals. In some embodiments, PBP lens 700 includes a layerof other type of substructures, e.g., nanopillars composed of highrefraction index materials. PBP lens 700 adds or removes optical powerbased in part on polarization of incident light. For example, if rightcircularly polarized (RCP) light is incident on PBP lens 700, PBP lens700 acts as a positive lens (i.e., it causes light to converge). And, ifleft circularly polarized (LCP) light is incident on the PBP lens, thePBP lens acts as a negative lens (i.e., it causes light to diverge). Insome embodiments, PBP lenses also change the handedness of light to theorthogonal handedness (e.g., changing LCP to RCP or vice versa). In someembodiments, PBP lenses are not wavelength selective. In someembodiments, PBP lenses are wavelength dependent. In some embodiments,the PBP lenses transmit a portion of incident light and reflects aportion of incident light. If the incident light is at the designedwavelength, LCP light is converted to RCP light, and vice versa. Incontrast, if incident light has a wavelength that is outside thedesigned wavelength range, at least a portion of the light istransmitted without change in its polarization and without focusing orconverging. PBP lenses may have a large aperture size and can be madewith a very thin liquid crystal layer. Optical properties of the PBPlens (e.g., focusing power or diffracting power) are based on variationof azimuthal angles (θ) of liquid crystal molecules. For example, for aPBP lens, azimuthal angle θ of a liquid crystal molecule is determinedbased on Equation (1):

$\begin{matrix}{\theta = {\left( {\frac{r^{2}}{f}*\frac{\pi}{\lambda}} \right)/2}} & (1)\end{matrix}$where r denotes a radial distance between the liquid crystal moleculeand an optical center of the PBP lens, f denotes a focal distance, and Adenotes a wavelength of light that the PBP lens is designed for. In someembodiments, the azimuthal angles of the liquid crystal molecules in thex-y plane increase from the optical center to an edge of the PBP lens.In some embodiments, as expressed by Equation (1), a rate of increase inazimuthal angles between neighboring liquid crystal molecules alsoincreases with the distance from the optical center of the PBP lens. ThePBP lens creates a respective lens profile based on the orientations(i.e., azimuthal angle θ) of a liquid crystal molecule in the x-y plane.In contrast, a (non-PBP) liquid crystal lens creates a lens profile viaa birefringence property (with liquid crystal molecules oriented out ofx-y plane, e.g., a non-zero tilt angle from the x-y plane) and athickness of a liquid crystal layer.

FIG. 7A illustrates a three-dimensional view of PBP lens 700 withincoming light 704 entering the lens along the z-axis.

FIG. 7B illustrates an x-y-plane view of PBP lens 700 with a pluralityof liquid crystals (e.g., liquid crystals 702-1 and 702-2) with variousorientations. The orientations (i.e., azimuthal angles θ) of the liquidcrystals vary along reference line between A and A′ from the center ofPBP lens 700 toward the periphery of PBP lens 700.

FIG. 7C illustrates an x-z-cross-sectional view of PBP lens 700. Asshown in FIG. 7C, the orientations of the liquid crystal (e.g., liquidcrystals 702-1 and 702-2) remain constant along z-direction. FIG. 7Cillustrates an example of a PBP structure that has constant variationalong z and birefringent thickness (Δn×t) that is ideally half of thedesigned wavelength, where Δn is the birefringence of the liquid crystalmaterial and t is the physical thickness of the plate. A PBP opticalelement (e.g., lens, grating) may have a liquid crystal structure thatis different from the one shown in FIG. 7C. For example, a PBP opticalelement may include a double twist liquid crystal structure along thez-direction. In another example, a PBP optical element may include athree-layer alternate structure along the z-direction in order toprovide achromatic response across a wide spectral range. FIG. 7Dillustrates a detailed plane view of the liquid crystals along thereference line between A and A′ shown in FIG. 7B. Pitch 706 is definedas a distance along the x-axis at which the azimuthal angle θ of aliquid crystal has rotated 180 degrees. In some embodiments, pitch 706varies as a function of distance from the center of PBP lens 700. In acase of a lens, the azimuthal angle θ of liquid crystals varies inaccordance with Equation (1) shown above. In such cases, the pitch atthe center of the lens is longest and the pitch at the edge of the lensis shortest.

FIGS. 7E-7H are schematic diagrams illustrating a polarization volumehologram (PVH) lens in accordance with some embodiments. PVH lens 710 isa liquid crystal PVH lens including a layer of liquid crystals arrangedin helical structures (e.g., a liquid crystal formed of a cholestericliquid crystal). Similar to a PBP lens (described above with respect toFIGS. 7A-7D), a PVH lens adds or removes optical power based in part onpolarization of an incident light. However, PVH lens is selective withrespect to circular polarization of light. When state (handedness) ofthe circularly polarized light is along a helical axis of a liquidcrystal, the PVH lens interacts with the circularly polarized light andthereby changes the direction of the light (e.g., refracts or diffractsthe light). Concurrently, while transmitting the light, the PVH lensalso changes the polarization of the light. In contrast, the PVH lenstransmits light with opposite circular polarization without changing itsdirection or polarization. For example, a PVH lens changes polarizationof RCP light to LCP light and simultaneously focuses or defocuses thelight while transmitting LCP light without changing its polarization ordirection. Optical properties of the PVH lens (e.g., focusing power ofdiffracting power) are based on variation of azimuthal angles of liquidcrystal molecules. In addition, the optical properties of the PVH arebased on a helical axis and/or a helical pitch of a liquid crystal.

FIG. 7E illustrates a three-dimensional view of PVH lens 710 withincoming light 714 entering the lens along the z-axis. FIG. 7Eillustrates an x-y plane view of PVH lens 710 with a plurality of liquidcrystals (e.g., liquid crystals 712-1 and 712-2) with variousorientations. The orientations (i.e., azimuthal angle θ) of the liquidcrystals vary along reference line between B and B′ from the center ofPVH lens 710 toward the periphery of PVH lens 710. FIG. 7G illustratesan x-z-cross-sectional view of PVH lens 710. As shown in FIG. 7G, incontrast to PBP described with respect to FIG. 7C, the liquid crystals(e.g., liquid crystals 712-1 and 712-2 in FIG. 7F) of PVH lens 710 arearranged in helical structures 718. Helical structures 718 have helicalaxes aligned corresponding to the z-axis. As the azimuthal angle ofrespective liquid crystals on the x-y-plane varies, the helicalstructures create a volume grating with a plurality of diffractionplanes (e.g., planes 720-1 and 720-2) forming cycloidal patterns. Thediffraction planes (e.g., Bragg diffraction planes) defined in a volumeof a PVH lens produce a periodically changing refractive index. Helicalstructures 718 define the polarization selectivity of PVH lens 710, aslight with circular polarization handedness corresponding to the helicalaxis is diffracted while light with circular polarization with theopposite handedness is not diffracted. Helical structures 718 alsodefine the wavelength selectivity of PVH lens 710, as helical pitch 722determines which wavelength(s) are diffracted by PVH lens 710 (lightwith other wavelengths is not diffracted). For example, for a PVH lens,the designed wavelength for which the PVH lens will diffract the lightis determined based on Equation (2):λ=2n _(eff) P _(z)  (2)where λ denotes a wavelength of light that the PVH lens is designed for,P_(z) is distance of helical pitch 722, and n_(eff) is the effectiverefractive index of the liquid crystal medium that is a birefringentmedium. A helical pitch refers to a distance when a helix has made a 180degree turn along a helical axis (e.g., the z-axis in FIG. 7G). Theeffective refractive index of the birefringent liquid crystal medium isdetermined based on Equation (3):

$\begin{matrix}{n_{eff} = \sqrt{\frac{n_{0}^{2} + {2n_{e}^{2}}}{3}}} & (3)\end{matrix}$where n₀ is the ordinary refractive index of the birefringent medium andn_(e) is the extraordinary refractive index of the birefringent medium.

FIG. 7H illustrates a detailed plane view of the liquid crystals alongthe reference line between B and B′ in FIG. 7F. Pitch 716 is defined asa distance along x-axis at which the azimuth angle of liquid crystal hasrotated 180 degrees from the initial orientation. In some embodiments,pitch 716 varies as a function of distance from the center of PVH lens710. In a case of a lens, the azimuthal angle of liquid crystals variesin accordance with Equation (1) shown above. In such cases, the pitch atthe center of the lens is the longest and the pitch at the edge of thelens is the shortest.

FIG. 7I is a schematic diagram illustrating a gradient pitchpolarization volume hologram grating in accordance with someembodiments. In FIG. 7I, liquid crystal layer 750 includes liquidcrystals 762 arranged in helical configurations 754 (e.g., cholestericliquid crystals). FIG. 7I also shows that liquid crystals 762 aredisposed between substrates 752-1 and 752-1. At least one of substrates752-1 and 752-2 is made of an optically transparent substrate (e.g.,glass or plastic). Helical configurations 754 have a helical axisperpendicular to a surface of liquid crystal layer 750 (e.g., surfacesdefined by substrates 752-1 and 752-2).

A helical configuration has a pitch (e.g., periodicity) defined as adistance along its helical axis (e.g., axis 754-1) at which an azimuthangle of a helical liquid crystal has rotated 180 degrees. In FIG. 7I,helical configurations 754 have a plurality of portions with differentpitches including pitches 756-1, 756-2, and 756-3, where pitch 756-1 isgreater than pitch 756-2 and pitch 756-2 is greater than pitch 756-3(e.g., helical configurations 754 have a first portion with the firstpitch 756-1, a second portion with the second pitch 756-2, and a thirdportion with the third pitch 756-3). In some embodiments, the pitchvaries gradually. In some embodiments, the pitch remains constantbetween substrates 752-1 and 752-2. In some embodiments, differentpitches of the helical configurations are achieved by controlling aconcentration and/or a type of a chiral dopant used for forming thehelical configurations. In some embodiments, a pitch of the helicalconfiguration determines the wavelength selectivity of a liquid crystallayer. In some embodiments, a liquid crystal layer having a varyingpitch (the liquid crystal layer has a range of pitches) is used toreflect diffract light of a broad wavelength range (e.g., a broadbandreflective polarizer) so that the first region of liquid crystal layer750 corresponding to pitch 756-1 reflects diffracts a first wavelengthrange, the second region of liquid crystal layer 750 corresponding topitch 756-2 reflects diffracts a second wavelength range, and the thirdregion of liquid crystal layer 750 corresponding to pitch 756-3 reflectsdiffracts a third wavelength range. In some embodiments, the firstwavelength range corresponds to red color (e.g., 635-700 nm), the secondwavelength range corresponds to green color (e.g., 495-570 nm), and thethird wavelength range corresponds to blue color (e.g., 450-490 nm) suchthat liquid crystal layer 400 reflects a broad wavelength range (e.g., awavelength range from 450 nm to 700 nm). In some embodiments, a broadwavelength range corresponds to a bandwidth (e.g., a full-width athalf-maximum) of 250 nm or more (e.g., 300 nm, 350 nm, 400 nm, etc.).Alternative, a liquid crystal layer having a constant pitch isconfigured to reflect diffract light at a narrow wavelength range (e.g.,a narrowband reflective polarizer). In some embodiments, a narrowwavelength range corresponds to a bandwidth (e.g., a full-width athalf-maximum) of 100 nm or less (e.g., 50 nm, 30 nm, 20 nm, 10 nm, 5 nm,or 1 nm or less). For example, liquid crystal layer 750 having aconstant pitch selective for green color is configured to redirect lightbetween 495 nm and 570 nm.

In some embodiments, the helical configuration defines a plurality ofdiffraction planes extending across liquid crystal layer 750. Thediffraction planes diffract respective portions of incident light 758received by liquid crystal layer 750. For example, a first region ofliquid crystal layer 750 corresponding to pitch 756-1 diffracts a firstportion of light 758 (e.g., light 760-1 corresponding to the firstwavelength range), a second region of liquid crystal layer 750corresponding to pitch 756-2 diffracts a second portion of light 758(e.g., light 760-2 corresponding to the second wavelength range), and athird region of liquid crystal layer 750 corresponding to pitch 406-3diffracts a third portion of light 758 (e.g., light 760-3 correspondingto the third wavelength range). In FIG. 7I, the first portion of light758, the second portion of light 758, and the third portion of the light758 are diffracted into a same direction. In some other embodiments, thefirst portion of light 758, the second portion of light 758, and thethird portion of the light 758 are diffracted into distinct directions.

A cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) layer, such as liquid crystal layer750 in FIG. 7I, operates as a reflective polarizer and is selective withrespect to handedness of light incident thereon. For example, for a CLClayer configured to diffract a circularly polarized light with apredefined handedness (and within a predefined incident angle range andwithin a predefined wavelength range), when a circularly polarized lighthaving the predefined handedness (and an incident angle within thepredefined incident angle and a wavelength within the predefinedwavelength range) impinges on the CLC layer, the CLC layer diffracts thecircularly polarized light (without diffracting an orthogonallypolarized light). While reflectively diffracting the direction of thelight, the CLC layer also changes the polarization of the reflectivelydiffracted light (e.g., a left-handed light is reflectively diffractedinto a right-handed light). In comparison, the CLC layer forgoesdiffracting light that does not have the predefined handedness (and doesnot have an incident angle within the predefined incident angle or doesnot have a wavelength within the predefined wavelength range). Forexample, a CLC layer configured to reflectively diffract a right-handedcircularly polarized (RCP) light changes polarization of a RCP light toa left-handed circularly polarized (LCP) light and simultaneouslyredirects the light while transmitting LCP light without changing itspolarization or direction (e.g., a CLC layer may reflectively diffractlight having a first circular polarization and a first wavelength rangeand transmit light having a polarization distinct from the firstcircular polarization and/or light having a wavelength distinct from thefirst wavelength range). The CLC may be wavelength-dependent. Thus, ifan incident light with the predefined handedness (e.g., RCP) and anincident angle within the predefined incident angle range has awavelength corresponding to a predefined wavelength range, the CLC layerreflectively diffracts the RCP light and converts the polarization ofthe diffracted light to LCP. In comparison, an incident light (with orwithout the predefined handedness (e.g., RCP) and with an incident anglewithin the predefined incident angle range) having a wavelength outsidethe predefined wavelength range is transmitted through the CLC layerwithout redirection while maintaining its polarization. The CLC may bespecific to the incident angle. Thus, if an incident light with thepredefined handedness (e.g., RCP) and a wavelength within the predefinedwavelength range has an incident angle within the designed incidentangle range, the CLC layer redirects the RCP light and converts thepolarization of the redirected light to LCP. In comparison, an incidentlight (with or without the predefined handedness (e.g., RCP) and awavelength within the predefined wavelength range) having an incidentangle outside the designed incident angle range is transmitted throughthe CLC layer without redirection while maintaining its polarization.

Although FIGS. 7A-7D illustrate a PBP lens and FIGS. 7E-7H illustrate aPVH lens, a person having ordinary skill in the art would understandthat a PBP grating may be used in place of a PBP lens in someconfigurations and a PVH grating may be used in place of a PVH lens insome configurations. Similarly, although FIG. 7I illustrates a gradientpitch PVH grating, a person having ordinary skill in the art wouldunderstand that a gradient pitch PVH lens may be used in place of agradient pitch PVH grating in some embodiments.

In light of these principles and examples, now we turn to certainembodiments.

In accordance with some embodiments, a head-mounted display deviceincludes an optical device that includes a first partial reflector and asecond partial reflector positioned relative to the first partialreflector so that the second partial reflector receives first lighttransmitted through the first partial reflector and reflects at least aportion of the first light toward the first partial reflector as secondlight. At least a portion of the second light is reflected by the firstpartial reflector as third light, and at least a portion of the thirdlight is transmitted through the second partial reflector. At least oneof the first partial reflector or the second partial reflector comprisesa reflective holographic element (e.g., FIGS. 4A-6C).

In some embodiments, the reflective holographic element has a freeformphase profile.

In some embodiments, the reflective holographic element is a wavelengthsensitive element having different phase profiles for each of red,green, and blue wavelengths.

In some embodiments, the independent phase profiles are encoded in thereflective holographic by wavelength multiplexing.

In some embodiments, the reflective holographic element includes a stackof two or more holograms, each of which is sensitive to a distinctwavelength range.

In some embodiments, the reflective holographic element includes apitch-gradient polarization volume hologram. In some embodiments, thepitch-gradient polarization volume hologram includes cholesteric liquidcrystals.

In some embodiments, the optical device includes a first optical elementhaving optical power.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector includes abeam-splitter and the second partial reflector includes a reflectivepolarizer.

In some embodiments, the optical device further includes a third partialreflector.

In some embodiments, the third partial reflector is a reflectiveholographic element.

In some embodiments, the optical device includes a first optical elementthat is a transmissive diffractive element.

In some embodiments, the reflective holographic element is selected fromthe group consisting of volume Bragg grating, polarization volumehologram and Pancharatnam Berry Phase element.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector includes a volume Bragggrating and the second optical element includes a polarization volumehologram.

In some embodiments, the polarization volume hologram has optical power.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector includes a volume Bragggrating and the second partial reflector includes a volume Bragggrating.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector includes a volume Bragggrating and the second partial reflector includes apolarization-independent partial reflector.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector includes apolarization-independent partial reflector and the second partialreflector includes a volume Bragg grating.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector includes a polarizationvolume hologram and the second partial reflector includes a reflectivepolarizer.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector has optical power andthe second partial reflector is positioned away from a focal plane ofthe first partial reflector.

In some embodiments, the second partial reflector has no optical power.

In some embodiments, the second partial reflector is spaced apart by anair gap from the first partial reflector, and a size of the air gap isconfigured to be varied.

In some embodiments, a distance between a display panel and the firstpartial reflector is configured to be varied.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector receives light emittedfrom a limited emission cone of a display panel, and the emission conesubstantially correspond to light that enters an eyebox of a user of theoptical system.

In accordance with some embodiments, an optical device for ahead-mounted display device includes a first partial reflector and asecond partial reflector positioned relative to the first partialreflector so that the second partial reflector receives first lighttransmitted through the first partial reflector and reflects at least aportion of the first light toward the first partial reflector as secondlight. At least a portion of the second light is reflected by the firstpartial reflector as third light, and at least a portion of the thirdlight is transmitted through the second partial reflector. The firstpartial reflector and the second partial reflector have no opticalpower.

In some embodiments, the optical device further includes a first opticalelement that includes a holographic element. In some embodiments, thefirst partial reflector includes a beam-splitter and the second partialreflector includes a reflective polarizer.

In some embodiments, the optical device further includes a first opticalelement that is a transmissive diffractive element.

In some embodiments, the transmissive diffractive element is adjacentthe second partial reflector. In some embodiments, the transmissivediffractive element includes a volume Bragg grating, a polarizationvolume hologram, and a PBP element.

In accordance with some embodiments, an optical system includes anoptical device having a first partial reflector; and a second partialreflector positioned relative to the first partial reflector so that thesecond partial reflector receives first light transmitted through thefirst partial reflector and reflects at least a portion of the firstlight toward the first partial reflector as second light. At least aportion of the second light is reflected by the first partial reflectoras third light, and at least a portion of the third light is transmittedthrough the second partial reflector. At least one of the first partialreflector or the second partial reflector includes a reflectiveholographic element. The optical system includes a display device.

In some embodiments, the display device is coupled with a substantiallycoherent light source.

In some embodiments, the substantially coherent light source includes alaser.

In some embodiments, the optical system includes a de-speckler.

In some embodiments, the de-speckler is positioned to de-speckle lightemitted from the substantially coherent light source.

In some embodiments, the de-speckler is positioned to de-speckle lightemitted from the display device.

In some embodiments, the de-speckler includes an electroactive polymerconfigured to provide a time-varying diffusion pattern.

In some embodiments, the first partial reflector receives light emittedfrom a display panel of the display device, the emitted light having alimited emission cone.

In some embodiments, the emission cone varies spatially over the displaypanel.

In some embodiments, the display panel is configured to provide, at afirst location on the display panel, light having a first emission conecharacterized by a first emission cone angle and provide, at a secondlocation on the display panel that is distinct from the first location,light having a second emission cone characterized by a second emissioncone angle that is distinct from the first emission cone angle.

In some embodiments, central rays of emission cones from the displaypanel intersect a common point in front of or behind the display panel.

In some embodiments, emission cones substantially correspond to lightthat enters an eyebox of a user of the optical system.

In some embodiments, the display device includes a directionalbacklight.

In some embodiments, the directional backlight includes a volumehologram.

In some embodiments, the directional backlight includes anon-directional light source and an angle limiting plate.

In some embodiments, the directional backlight includes a diffuser.

In some embodiments, the display device is positioned in proximity tothe first partial reflector.

In some embodiments, the optical system is configured to change a sizeof the air gap between the optical device and the display device.

In some embodiments, the display device includes a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD) panel or a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel.

In accordance with some embodiments, an optical device for ahead-mounted display device includes a first partial reflector and asecond partial reflector positioned relative to the first partialreflector so that the second partial reflector receives first lighttransmitted through the first partial reflector and reflects at least aportion of the first light toward the first partial reflector as secondlight. At least a portion of the second light is reflected by the firstpartial reflector as third light, and at least a portion of the thirdlight is transmitted through the second partial reflector. At least oneof the first partial reflector or the second partial reflector comprisesa metasurface or a multi-order diffractive element.

In accordance with some embodiments, an optical system includes adisplay device and any optical device described herein.

In some embodiments, the reflective holographic element is recordedinterferometrically. In some embodiments, the reflective holographicelement is recorded with a programmatically controlled phase profile.

In some embodiments, the display device uses substantially coherentillumination. In some embodiments, the display device uses laserillumination. In some embodiments, the light from the illuminationsource or display panel is despeckled. In some embodiments, the opticalsystem further includes a despeckler unit having an electroactivepolymer configured to provide a time-varying diffusing pattern.

In some embodiments, light emitted from the display panel has asubstantially limited emission cone. In some embodiments, the emissioncone varies spatially over the display panel. In some embodiments, theemission cones substantially correspond to light that enters a viewingeyebox of a user of the optical system. In some embodiments, centralrays of the spatially varying emission cones substantially intersect ata point in front of or behind the display panel. In some embodiments,the system further includes a directional backlight having a volumehologram. In some embodiments, the directional backlight includes anon-directional backlight and an angle limiting plate. In someembodiments, the directional backlight includes an engineered diffuser.

In some embodiments, the display device is an LCD panel or a LCOS panel.In some embodiments, the display panel is placed in close proximity(e.g., substantially in mechanical contact) to the first partialreflector.

In some embodiments, the holographic element includes a stack of two ormore holograms, each of which is sensitive to one or more wavelengths.

The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has beendescribed with reference to specific embodiments. However, theillustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the scope of the claims to the precise forms disclosed. Manymodifications and variations are possible in view of the aboveteachings. For example, although the optical device including the firstpartial reflector and the second partial reflector is described for usein a head-mounted display device, the optical device including the firstpartial reflector and the second partial reflector may be usedindependently (and separately) from the head-mounted display device. Theembodiments were chosen in order to best explain the principlesunderlying the claims and their practical applications, to therebyenable others skilled in the art to best use the embodiments withvarious modifications as are suited to the particular uses contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. An optical device for a head-mounted displaydevice, the optical device comprising: a first partial reflector; asecond partial reflector positioned relative to the first partialreflector so that the second partial reflector receives first lighttransmitted through the first partial reflector and reflects at least aportion of the first light toward the first partial reflector as secondlight, wherein: at least a portion of the second light is reflected bythe first partial reflector as third light, and at least a portion ofthe third light is transmitted through the second partial reflector, andat least one of the first partial reflector or the second partialreflector comprises a reflective holographic element, and a thirdpartial reflector.
 2. The optical device of claim 1, wherein thereflective holographic element has a freeform phase profile.
 3. Theoptical device of claim 1, wherein the reflective holographic element isa wavelength sensitive element having different phase profiles for eachof red, green, and blue wavelengths.
 4. The optical device of claim 3,wherein the phase profiles are encoded in the reflective holographicelement by wavelength multiplexing.
 5. The optical device of claim 3,wherein the reflective holographic element includes a stack of two ormore holograms, each of which is sensitive to a distinct wavelengthrange.
 6. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the reflectiveholographic element includes a pitch-gradient polarization volumehologram.
 7. The optical device of claim 6, wherein the pitch-gradientpolarization volume hologram includes cholesteric liquid crystals. 8.The optical device of claim 1, wherein the third partial reflector is areflective holographic element.
 9. The optical device of claim 1,wherein the first partial reflector comprises a volume Bragg grating andthe second partial reflector comprises a reflective polarizer.
 10. Theoptical device of claim 1, wherein the reflective holographic element isselected from the group consisting of volume Bragg grating, polarizationvolume hologram and Pancharatnam Berry Phase element.
 11. The opticaldevice of claim 1, wherein the second partial reflector is spaced apartby an air gap from the first partial reflector, and a size of the airgap is configured to be varied.
 12. An optical device for a head-mounteddisplay device, the optical device comprising: a first partialreflector; and a second partial reflector positioned relative to thefirst partial reflector so that the second partial reflector receivesfirst light transmitted through the first partial reflector and reflectsat least a portion of the first light toward the first partial reflectoras second light, wherein: at least a portion of the second light isreflected by the first partial reflector as third light, and at least aportion of the third light is transmitted through the second partialreflector, at least one of the first partial reflector or the secondpartial reflector comprises a reflective holographic element, and thefirst partial reflector comprises a volume Bragg grating and the secondpartial reflector comprises a polarization volume hologram.
 13. Theoptical device of claim 12, wherein the reflective holographic elementhas a freeform phase profile.
 14. The optical device of claim 12,wherein the reflective holographic element is a wavelength sensitiveelement having different phase profiles for each of red, green, and bluewavelengths.
 15. An optical device for a head-mounted display device,the optical device comprising: a first partial reflector; and a secondpartial reflector positioned relative to the first partial reflector sothat the second partial reflector receives first light transmittedthrough the first partial reflector and reflects at least a portion ofthe first light toward the first partial reflector as second light,wherein: at least a portion of the second light is reflected by thefirst partial reflector as third light, and at least a portion of thethird light is transmitted through the second partial reflector, atleast one of the first partial reflector or the second partial reflectorcomprises a reflective holographic element, and the first partialreflector comprises a polarization volume hologram and the secondpartial reflector comprises a reflective polarizer.
 16. The opticaldevice of claim 15, wherein the reflective holographic element has afreeform phase profile.
 17. The optical device of claim 15, wherein thereflective holographic element is a wavelength sensitive element havingdifferent phase profiles for each of red, green, and blue wavelengths.18. An optical device for a head-mounted display device, the opticaldevice comprising: a first partial reflector; and a second partialreflector positioned relative to the first partial reflector so that thesecond partial reflector receives first light transmitted through thefirst partial reflector and reflects at least a portion of the firstlight toward the first partial reflector as second light, wherein: atleast a portion of the second light is reflected by the first partialreflector as third light, and at least a portion of the third light istransmitted through the second partial reflector, at least one of thefirst partial reflector or the second partial reflector comprises areflective holographic element, and the first partial reflector hasoptical power and the second partial reflector is positioned away from afocal plane of the first partial reflector.
 19. The optical device ofclaim 18, wherein the second partial reflector has no optical power. 20.The optical device of claim 18, wherein the reflective holographicelement has a freeform phase profile.